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Flying Scotsman at the Bluebell Railway: 13 - 19 April 2017

Discussion in 'Galas and Events' started by Jamessquared, Nov 23, 2016.

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  1. green five

    green five Resident of Nat Pres

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    Scotsman HK 1.jpg

    Here is my favourite picture from the excellent day I had yesterday. Scotsman rolls through Horsted Keynes with the 10.00am departure from Sheffield park.
     
    green five, Apr 18, 2017
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  2. Zoomeg

    Zoomeg New Member

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    Is Camelot back in regular service after the gala?
     
    Zoomeg, Apr 18, 2017
    #242
  3. green five

    green five Resident of Nat Pres

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    .........And here is the going away shot at Horsted keynes as the regulator is cracked open to produce that superb Gresley beat:
    Scotsman puts on the power HK.jpg
     
    green five, Apr 18, 2017
    #243
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  4. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    According to the PTI page, Camelot and 847 are the service locos for this coming Thursday and Friday (and presumably the weekend, though I haven't seen the loco roster). Subject to usual caveats about availability etc.

    Tom
     
    Jamessquared, Apr 18, 2017
    #244
  5. Zoomeg

    Zoomeg New Member

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    Excellent thanks! She was definitely the co-star (or best supporting actress!) with those headboards, shame I'm away this weekend :-(
     
    Last edited: Apr 18, 2017
    Zoomeg, Apr 18, 2017
    #245
  6. Phil-d259

    Phil-d259 Member

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    Horsted struck me as looking relatively quiet in the pictures I have seen so I can understand the traders grumble. As a general observation, even on ordinary days, most non enthusiasts coming along to the railway tend to treat it as simply a 'steam train ride' with relatively few bothering to stop off mid journey at Horsted so on one hand it could be said to an extent the Bluebell was guilty of overselling the potential income to be generated to concessions. That said it would have been foolish to not take advantage of the extra space at Horsted to lay on extra facilities - the thorny question being just how much extra do you provide? The Bluebell also didn't have a lot to go on when planning this event - much of the arrangements basically being a copy of those made for Flying Scotsman's visit to the Severn Valley last year. With 3 Heritage Railways now having hosted Scotsman (SVR, KWVR and now the Bluebell) the next railway to have a go at hosting ia FS event will have more data as to what works and what doesn't.

    Another thing we don't know is how much the 'sold out' factor influenced peoples decision making. Did people see various media reports saying the Scotsman was 'sold out' and decline to come on the basis* that there was no point if they couldn't ride behind Scotsman, or were other factors at play (such as not being aware that tickets to travel on the trains being hauled by Bluebell locos were constantly available to purchase, or the feeling that they could come and get a ride behind our own locos at a much cheaper price another time and simply see the Scotsman from the lineside)

    * while enthusiast like to pretend they don't exist there is a large section of the public for whom steam trains are a complete irrelevance unless the loco used is 'Flying Scotsman' and who would never be encouraged to come once they couldn't by a ticket to ride behind her.
     
    Phil-d259, Apr 18, 2017
    #246
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  7. Harry Stanger

    Harry Stanger New Member

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    I would agree with your conclusions wholeheartedly. The only further comment I would make is that I don't think the Bluebell's marketing department is one of the best.
     
    Harry Stanger, Apr 18, 2017
    #247
  8. Zoomeg

    Zoomeg New Member

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    Completely OT but what's the thinking for GOS? BR Standards Pretty Please! 70000 92212 73082 76017 FTW!!!
     
    Zoomeg, Apr 18, 2017
    #248
  9. Paul42

    Paul42 Part of the furniture

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    Horsted was quiet on Friday when according to the email news letter " more 2,200 visitors through the ticket booths at Sheffield Park", but a lot busier yesterday. I do wonder how many of the circa 500 on each Scotsman trip did more than that trip ? I got the impression the majority drove to Sheffield Park so they probably
    used the catering facilities there, or the buffet on the train. I doubt many would have been interested in doing a trip to Horsted. In hindsight it would have been better to encourage more people to visit Horsted Keynes with a cheaper platform ticket than the other stations.
     
    Paul42, Apr 18, 2017
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  10. Paul42

    Paul42 Part of the furniture

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    The proposed date for the Autumn Gala ( which I believe is the new name) is now a share holders weekend, so their does not appear there will be one this year. According to the Icons of Steam website re: 70000 "she is now awaiting an overhaul before being returned to steam".
     
    Paul42, Apr 18, 2017
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  11. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    Jamessquared, Apr 18, 2017
    #251
  12. bonniville

    bonniville New Member

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    bonniville, Apr 18, 2017
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  13. Paul42

    Paul42 Part of the furniture

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    Paul42, Apr 18, 2017
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  14. Duty Druid

    Duty Druid Resident of Nat Pres

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    Duty Druid, Apr 18, 2017
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  15. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    Jamessquared, Apr 18, 2017
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  16. Spamcan81

    Spamcan81 Nat Pres stalwart

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    I've liked it for you. :)
     
    Spamcan81, Apr 18, 2017
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  17. Jason Cottage

    Jason Cottage New Member

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    Jason Cottage, Apr 19, 2017
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  18. steamvideosnet

    steamvideosnet Well-Known Member

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    My first photo from today - 60103 easing away from Horsted Keynes with it's final train of the week.

    Flying Scotsman visits Sussex.001.jpg

    James
     
    steamvideosnet, Apr 19, 2017
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  19. Jason Cottage

    Jason Cottage New Member

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    Jason Cottage, Apr 19, 2017
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  20. A1X

    A1X Well-Known Member

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    A1X, Apr 19, 2017
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